Mia
“Just tell me how I can help,” Mia said as Roman took her hand and led her toward the main entrance of the house.
Grabbing a heavy coat and a pair of gloves from the closet by the wall, he opened the door and led her out into the snow-covered front gardens. They must have been magnificent in spring, Mia thought – the roses were bundled away now to protect them from frost, and the trees were bare and lifeless. But she could still see the tiled paths that wound their way through the garden beds, which she could tell would be beautiful in springtime. She hoped she’d get to see the flowers when they were in full bloom, one day.
One day, she promised herself. She just couldn’t believe that Horace and Roman wouldn’t be able to overcome their differences. Family was family, after all. And it was Christmas!
Mia promised herself that Horace would have no reason to doubt her commitment to their mated bond. He would see she was in this for better or for worse.
Their warm breath floated like a white cloud between them as he turned to her.
“The fastest way to search the mountains is if I fly,” Roman said, as he held out the coat and gloves to her. “But it’s quite a big area – and as I’ve always said, two pairs of eyes are better than one.”
Mia caught her breath as she took the coat and gloves from him.
Does he mean – surely he can’t –
Despite the fact that she was ready to accept that shifters might be real, she still hadn’t seen Roman actually shift. It was strange to hear him talking about flying so casually – but then again, she supposed for him it must be like walking down to the shops was for her!
But right now, it was the second part of what he’d said that was concerning her the most.
Mia blinked. “Do you mean – am I going to... to...”
She trailed off, unsure, but Roman seemed to understand what she was trying to say.
“That’s right: I fly, you ride.”
Mia stared at him, eyes wide. “Ride... you?!”
Roman grinned. “Unless you have any objections, of course. You’re not scared of heights, are you?”
Mia thought her eyes must be bugging out of her head. “No, I’m not – but – but –” She swallowed, giving herself a bit of a shake. “Can I really ride on your back?”
Roman nodded. “I promise you, it’s perfectly safe. Well, as long as you hold on tight.”
A smile began tugging at the corners of her lips. Now that her initial surprise was beginning to wear off, Mia had to admit that the idea was kind of... thrilling. Hadn’t people always dreamed of flying? And now, she’d be able to – on her own mighty mythical steed.
“How do I – I mean, will you shift first?” she asked, pulling the coat on over her arms. Now she realized why he’d given her such a heavy coat – it’d be freezing cold high up in the mountain air.
Roman laughed. “I think that would work best. I’ll shift, and then you can hop on.” He paused, looking at her. “It won’t be too much of a shock to see me in – in my other form?”
Mia licked her lips. To be honest, she thought, it might well be a little startling to see Roman transform from being the tall, handsome man she already felt she knew so well into a creature she thought had been only a legend. But at the same time, she could feel excitement building in her stomach.
He’s a griffin – a lion with the magnificent wings of an eagle! What could be better than that?
Sure, it might be strange at first, but Mia couldn’t deny the thrill it gave her to know that Roman – her mate – could transform at will into a powerful and amazing beast.
“I want to see,” she said softly, looking into his deep blue eyes. “It would – it would be an honor.”
She meant every word she said: to be the fated mate of a man like Roman...
... She truly was honored.
Roman looked searchingly into her eyes for a long minute, but then he nodded.
“I’m going to shift now,” he said softly, taking a step back from her. “And then, we’ll be off.”
Mia nodded, holding her breath – and then Roman was changing.
Where there had once been tanned skin, there was now deep golden fur. A massive dark mane sprouted from his shoulders, while his hands and feet widened to become massive paws. His body, muscular in his human form, became the formidable form of a lion, and his blue eyes turned a deep golden green. While his wings... his wings...
Mia couldn’t hold back a gasp as two enormous, elegant wings with golden feathers sprouted from Roman’s back, stretching up above her head, as beautiful and graceful as the rest of him was strong and powerful.
For a long moment, all she could do was stare at him, clutching the gloves he had given her to her chest.
He turned to look at her, his golden eyes trained on her face. Despite the fact that they had changed color and, well, Roman himself was a griffin now, she could still somehow tell it was him. There was something about the way he looked at her that told her that even though he was now a beautiful, fearsome, legendary creature, he would never hurt her.
“You’re – you’re beautiful,” Mia stuttered, saying the first words that came into her head.
Somewhere in the back of her head, a voice that clearly wanted her to have no fun at all was telling her that perhaps the fact that Roman was a griffin should perhaps have given her pause, or at least made her wonder what exactly she was getting herself into. But as it was, the only thing she could think of now was how much more attractive it made him.
He’s sweet, loyal, caring, he’s a vet, he’s criminally good-looking... and he can turn into a magical creature! What’s not to like?
Mia shook her head, smiling to herself. Maybe she ought to get her head examined, once she was back in the real world – but for now, all she could feel was excitement at the opening new chapter of her life. Both in the exploration of her bond with Roman, and her knowledge that the world was not what she had thought it was.
Maybe vampires and werewolves exist too! she thought. And dragons! Oh, maybe unicorns...
All of these things were questions for another time, Mia reminded herself. Roman had been regarding her quietly in his new form as her thoughts had whirled through her head, clearly wanting her to take her time to absorb everything – but right now, they had a job to do.
“Can I... can I touch you?” she asked, reaching out toward him. In response, a deep, booming purr emanated from Roman’s chest. Mia laughed out loud. “I take it that’s a yes.”
She ran her fingers lightly over the massive muscle of his shoulder, marveling at the strength and power of his body. Of course, he was a pretty big guy in his human form as well – so it made sense that as a griffin he would be just as impressive and muscular, too.
Gently, Mia stroked the curve of his wings, amazed at the delicacy of the feathers that formed them. They looked so powerful – and they must have been, to be able to lift his impressive lion’s body up into the air – but their constituent parts were surprisingly fragile.
Roman let out a low, crooning sound as he turned to look at her with his newly golden eyes. Folding his wings, he crouched, lowering his shoulder.
He’s inviting me to hop on, Mia realized, swallowing.
“You’re right,” she said. “We shouldn’t waste any more time. We need to look for Bethany.”
Taking a deep breath, Mia stepped forward, taking a handful of Roman’s shaggy mane to steady herself.
“This doesn’t hurt?” she asked, pausing.
Roman’s answer came in the form of another low purr, making her laugh.
I guess not!
Steeling herself, Mia swung her leg over Roman’s broad back, settling herself on his shoulders, just in front of his wings.
“Okay,” she said, leaning forward into the warmth of his mane. “Okay, I’m ready.”
Roman let out one final little growl, as if to prepare her, and then –
“Oh! Oh my God!”
Mia realized that it didn’t matter how ready she thought she was, or how much Roman had tried to give her fair warning – nothing could have prepared her for the wild rush of suddenly feeling the enormous power of the griffin’s body leaping into the air, its wings launching them almost vertically up into the sky.
The muscles of Roman’s shoulders tensed beneath her, his wings lifting and folding to propel them upward.
Air whipped past her head, sending her hair flying in all directions – but somehow, she didn’t feel cold. She wasn’t even sure it was the jacket and gloves that were protecting her, though: Roman’s body seemed to be emanating some kind of otherworldly heat, keeping her warm. Her hands, buried in his thick mane, didn’t seem to be affected by the cold air around them at all.
Higher and higher they flew, Roman’s mighty wings lifting them without any apparent effort whatsoever. Mia could hardly bring herself to believe it – her, Mia Braddock, party decorator, riding on the back of a mythical griffin!
Who also happens to be the hottest man I’ve ever laid eyes on, Mia reminded herself. Hell, the hottest man I’ve ever laid, period. She allowed herself a small smile. Oh ho ho, I’m such a comedian.
Now wasn’t the time for bad puns.
Now, she had to somehow overcome her awe at what was happening to her, and focus on the task at hand.
Pulling in a deep breath, Mia forced herself to lean slightly away from Roman’s neck, and look down.
They had already reached a dizzying height: the town of Skyhaven was nothing more than a white and gray patchwork beneath them, the streetlamps and Christmas lights nothing more than hazy points of light.
But despite that, it was still utterly, breathtakingly beautiful.
From up here, Mia felt like she could see the whole world: the dark sweep of the ancient forest, and the magnificent heights of the foreboding mountain ranges. Now that they were here amongst the ranges, Roman spread his wings and soared, the mountain winds carrying them easily.
Mia had never experienced anything more exhilarating in her life.
She wondered if she ought to feel frightened – after all, she was miles up in the air without so much as a seatbelt. But somehow, she knew that Roman would never let anything happen to her. She was safe, as long as she was with him.
Dipping his left wing, Roman wheeled, and Mia pressed her lips together. We’re here to look for Bethany.
Blinking in the frigid air, Mia turned her head first one way and then the other, her heart sinking. The mountain ranges were huge, and they were mostly covered in dark, evergreen forest. Plenty of places for a teenaged griffin who didn’t want to be found to hide in.
And would she be in her griffin form, or her human one? Obviously, a griffin would be easier to spot.
If she even came out here, Mia thought to herself as she looked around her.
Roman’s movements were smooth and fluid, and despite the winds Mia never felt jostled as they continued their search. One time, Mia saw something flapping on the edge of her vision and she called out, pulling gently on Roman’s mane to get his attention – but it turned out to simply be a hawk, minding its own business.
This is hopeless, Mia thought. She wasn’t sure how long they’d been looking. And she realized that neither Kara nor Lavinia had any way of contacting them. It was possible they’d already found Bethany at one of the places Lavinia had mentioned.
Still, we should keep looking, just in case, she thought.
They continued on over the mountains. Below her, Mia could see spots of light as they soared over the mansions of the wealthy folks who vacationed in seclusion up here, surrounded by protective forest, their winding driveways signposted with soft lamplight.
Mia let her eyes drift over them, amazed by the sheer enormity of some of the houses built into the mountainside – and that was when she saw it.
She wasn’t sure at first. She blinked, thinking that it must just have been another hawk on its way home – but then she looked again, and this time, she was sure.
Soaring beneath them, close to the treetops, was another griffin. Even at this distance Mia could tell it was smaller than Roman, its fur and wings a brighter shade of gold, which was probably the only reason she’d been able to spot it against the dark of the trees.
And it was clearly female: it had no mane.
“Roman!” Mia cried out, pointing, even though he couldn’t see it.
Still, his head turned in the right direction, and he let out a little growl as if to tell her that he’d seen what she’d seen.
“We should be careful, we don’t want to frighten her,” Mia said. “She might just run – well, fly – off, and then we’d have to chase her.”
Roman let out a low rumble of agreement. He pumped his wings, lifting them higher, circling to watch where the young griffin below them was headed.
She didn’t seem to be paying any attention at all to them – she was clearly a griffin on a mission.
As they watched, she folded her wings, dropping lower, below the tops of the trees. Roman followed.
Mia could see now that the young griffin was heading toward one of the impressive houses situated on the mountainside. It was lit up with Christmas lights – a display that Mia knew must be costing the owners a fortune, as if money was any object for people like that – and Bethany was headed straight for it. As she closed in, she angled her wings, banking, before dropping onto one of the long stone balconies that ringed the house. A moment later and she had begun to shift, turning from a sleek golden griffin into a teenaged girl.
Mia blinked. Even though she knew what would happen, it still came as a surprise. But then, she supposed she could be forgiven. She’d only found out griffins even existed yesterday, after all!
Roman flew lower still, passing around the back of the house. With his larger, heavier body, he needed more time to make the landing than Bethany had. When they came around the front again, Mia saw that Bethany had been joined on the balcony by another figure – and, perhaps unsurprisingly, it was the figure of a teenaged boy.
Roman curved his wings, banking, before he too alighted on the large balcony. The landing was surprisingly gentle, but the sound of his feet on the stone platform was enough to catch Bethany’s attention immediately. She and her – well, Mia was going to assume it was her boyfriend – jumped apart, staring as Mia slid off Roman’s back.
“Who’re you?” Bethany asked, wide-eyed, before she shook her head. “No, I don’t care. I’m not going back home!”
Mia smiled, holding out her hands, trying to show Bethany and her friend that she meant them no harm. “My name’s Mia,” she said. “And don’t worry, I’m not going to make you go anywhere you don’t want to go. But you should know your mother’s pretty worried about you.”
“Worried isn’t the word,” came Roman’s voice from behind her. Mia glanced over her shoulder, and saw to her relief that he was still fully clothed, as was Bethany. She wasn’t sure how that worked – but right now, she was only relieved that it did. She supposed in a world that contained griffin shifters, she could accept there was also some kind of magic that meant they kept their clothes when shifting from one form to another!
Bethany looked between the two of them, surprise now giving way to teenaged surliness. “It wasn’t my fault what happened with Ayden,” she said. “I told him he wasn’t allowed to go flying.”
“I know, Bethany,” Roman said. “He told us. But you have to understand how frightened your parents were. And Ayden could have been seriously hurt.”
Bethany blinked, her eyes looking moist. Her shoulders shuddered a little as she sucked in a quick breath. “I know. And I said I was sorry. I was really scared when he went missing too – it wasn’t just them.”
Mia glanced over to where the boy Bethany had met up with was standing. He didn’t seem overly concerned about the fact his girlfriend had just flown up to his balcony in the form of a griffin, or by Roman’s appearance. She had to assume Bethany had already explained the situation to him.
Or perhaps he’s a griffin too, she thought, though her instincts told her he wasn’t. Surely he’d live in Skyhaven with the other griffins if he was?
In a flash, Mia suddenly thought she’d begun to understand the situation.
Bethany was a griffin, and the boy was a human.
And she already knew how Horace felt about that.
Oh, dear.
“Why don’t you tell us what happened, Bethany,” Mia said, smiling. “And introduce us to your friend.”
***
“I didn’t think he’d run off like that,” Bethany explained as they sat on the massive leather sofa in the mansion’s living room, ten minutes later. She kept her eyes lowered. Beside her, her friend – Devon, she had said his name was – held her hand. “I just wanted to come up here while Mom and Dad were out Christmas shopping. I don’t get the chance to see Devon very often. Because... well, because...”
“Because he’s human,” Mia said, nodding.
Bethany’s head shot up in surprise. “Yeah.” Her face twisted. “I know they won’t like it.”
“You may be right,” Roman said from where he sat beside Mia.
She glanced at him, unsure if it was the right thing to say – but then again, there was no point in denying it. Horace had made his feelings on the matter clear. And while she hoped his mind could be changed, right now, he seemed pretty set in his ways. She supposed that as clan leader, his own prejudices would be reflected in the griffins he led.
“Yes, you may be right,” Mia said, “but you need to give them a chance before you decide that.” She looked at Devon. “After all, you didn’t mind she was a griffin, did you?”
Devon shook his head, grinning. “No. I think it’s cool.”
Bethany continued to look stubborn, however. “It’s different for me, though. I know Horace doesn’t like it when we mix with humans. But I think it’s a dumb rule. I’ve met tons of humans, and they’ve all been really nice to me. They’re my friends.”
“How did you two meet?” Roman asked.
“I got lost when I was driving one time,” Devon spoke up. “I took a wrong turn, and I couldn’t find the main road again. Bethany helped me.” He swallowed. “And I asked for her number. She said no at first, but I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Then she showed up at my house, and she told me she liked me too. But...”
“But there were complications,” Roman finished for him. “Boy, do I know about those.”
Bethany narrowed her eyes. “How do you know?”
Mia smiled at her. “I’m human, Bethany. Believe me – we know.”
The girl blinked, her mouth popping open in surprise. “And... Horace is okay with that?” She frowned. “But I haven’t seen Roman around in Skyhaven. Do you even live there?”
Roman shook his head. “No. I left Skyhaven years ago – for pretty much the same reasons you’re talking about now. I didn’t want to be restricted in who I could talk to, what I could do. Horace isn’t only my clan leader – he’s also my uncle, and he raised me. I didn’t like making the choice between my home and my freedom, but in the end, I had to do what was right for me. Not,” he added carefully, “that I’m saying you should run off right now. I thought about it for many years. It wasn’t a spur of the moment thing, and I was already an adult when I made my choice.”
Bethany huffed. “I’ll be seventeen next month.”
Mia couldn’t help but smile. “All grown up then, right?”
Dropping her eyes, Bethany bit her lip. “All right, fine. But still – you get it, right? Things are different, now. I don’t want to live in Skyhaven my whole life. I don’t know if I want to leave forever, but I do want to go out and see other stuff and meet other people.” She looked up, eyes pleading. “Will you help explain to Mom and Dad? I didn’t want to worry them, but I was just so mad, and they wouldn’t listen...”
“Bethany, I do understand how you feel,” Roman said. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. But I also know your parents care for you.” He leaned forward. “Things don’t have to be how they were with me.”
Mia swallowed. How I hope that’s true, she thought. And how I hope we can make Horace see that he’s wrong about this. That all he’s doing by trying to keep griffins in Skyhaven is hurting them.
There must have been others in Skyhaven besides Roman and Bethany who chafed against Horace’s restrictive ideas about griffins and humans, but who hadn’t wanted to rock the boat by saying anything – or simply hadn’t met anyone who inspired them to defy the rules.
She thought back over the last couple of days. Lavinia, at least, had seemed to want Roman and Horace to put their differences behind them. Was that a sign that things were changing? And perhaps if she became clan leader...
Well, either way, we have to let Bethany’s parents know she’s safe.
“Will you come back to Skyhaven with us?” she asked, hoping Bethany trusted them enough now to see they weren’t here to punish her. “Your mother will be worried. She was frantic when she called.”
Bethany looked reluctant for a moment, before a guilty expression crossed her face. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I hope she’s not too worried.”
“I’m sure she is,” Roman said. “She loves you, Bethany.”
Bethany nodded. “I know.” She glanced up, eyes pleading. “You’ll help me explain, right?”
“About Devon? Sure,” Roman said laughing. “But if she grounds you for running away, you’re on your own.”
Mia watched as, almost despite herself, Bethany smiled. “All right. Fine. I’ll come home.”
Roman
Despite his griffin’s eagerness to carry their mate on his back once more, Roman agreed that it would probably be best for them to drive back to Skyhaven in Devon’s car. But still, he cherished the memory of soaring above the mountains with his mate on his back – utterly free, the way griffins and their mates were supposed to be.
Devon’s parents were clearly extremely wealthy, and it showed in his car as well as the opulent house they had on the mountain. He drove an absolutely massive SUV – but then, Roman supposed, if you were going to live in the mountains you needed a car you knew was going to be able to cope with the roads. Not everyone had a set of wings to get around on, after all.
The air inside the car was tense as they drove. Roman, despite everything he’d said to Bethany, wasn’t at all certain how things would go with either her parents or with Horace once they returned.
He glanced at Devon. The boy was nice-looking, clean-cut, polite, and he’d clearly accepted Bethany’s lineage without qualms. Kara and Jason could do a lot worse for their daughter’s first boyfriend. But the fact remained that she’d been sneaking out to see him, and that he was human.
Horace can’t keep holding onto these old prejudices forever, Roman thought. And he had to realize that as long as his rules for the griffin clan were so restrictive, he was going to have members who would break them – or leave Skyhaven altogether, like he had.
He swallowed as Devon turned the SUV past the sign welcoming people to the town. The closer they got to the town, the less certain he felt.
Then he felt Mia’s hand on his, squeezing, and he glanced across at her to see her smiling at him reassuringly.
Everything will be okay, her eyes seemed to say. I’m here with you. And that’s all we need.
I know, he tried to tell her in return. As long as I have you, I don’t give a damn about anything else.
And it was true. Horace could refuse to accept it all he liked, but it wouldn’t change the fact that Mia was his mate. They were fated to be together, and their bond was unbreakable.
Nothing would ever change that.
And besides...
Soon, Horace would be stepping down as clan leader. There would be elections, but he had no reason to believe that Lavinia wouldn’t follow him into the role. His cousin had given him every reason to believe she thought their argument was stupid. Would she open up Skyhaven to outsiders? Would she finally leave the insular traditions of the griffins in the past, where they belonged?
He couldn’t know. And it was also traditional that the previous clan leader would stay on as an advisor, so it was possible Lavinia wouldn’t think it was worth it to go against her father on the matter. She might be willing to let Roman come back to Skyhaven, but, he thought, that wasn’t really the point.
The point was that no griffin should ever have to choose between their clan and their freedom. If they wanted to venture out into the world of humans, they should be free to do so, and to return whenever they chose to. It shouldn’t have to be like it had been for him.
Griffins and humans can co-exist peacefully, Roman thought as he squeezed Mia’s hand again. He knew they could. They had to.
“Park just here,” Bethany instructed Devon as they drove by the clan leader’s residence. He did so – with only a little bit of trouble to negotiate the enormous car to the curb.
“Just remember your mom has probably been worried sick all this time,” Mia said to Bethany as they prepared to get out of the car. “She might yell or be upset with you, but it’s only because she cares about you. Just try to stay calm, and remember she didn’t know you were safe.”
Bethany frowned a little, but she nodded. “Okay.”
Roman smiled at Mia as they got out of the car. How was it that she always seemed to know exactly what to say?
As they made their way through the garden, the door to the house was suddenly thrown open, and Kara appeared, Jason by her side.
“Bethany!”
Roman held his breath, wondering what would come next – but Kara simply ran up the path to her daughter, before throwing her arms around her.
“I was so worried – I had no idea where you went.” Kara pulled back, hands on Bethany’s shoulders, examining her. “Where did you go? We looked everywhere for you! You aren’t hurt?”
Bethany shook her head. “I’m fine, Mom.”
“Well, good,” Kara said. “Because I’m going to whoop your ass myself if you ever scare me like that again.”
So saying, she enfolded her daughter in a fierce hug – and, after a moment, Bethany returned it, wrapping her arms around her mother’s shoulders.
Roman watched, feeling his heart clench in his chest. Kara clearly loved her children more than anything else in the world. And surely, in the end, that was enough to overcome anything?
As they followed Bethany and Kara back inside the house, Roman decided that he could only hope so.
***
Later, as they all sat in the warmth of the great room, a fire blazing on the hearth, Bethany held Devon’s hand and explained where she had gone – and where she had been the day Ayden had decided to go for his impromptu flying lesson.
Looking around at the faces of those assembled, Roman couldn’t really say he was surprised by their expressions. Kara and Jason looked just as concerned parents would look in this situation: half angry, and half relieved that no harm had come to their children.
Lavinia was nodding, as if things were finally falling into place – as if something that she’d been wondering about now at last made sense. Roman wondered if her own daughter, Sylvie, had been aware of Bethany’s secret boyfriend.
And Horace...
Horace was sitting on the far side of the large couch, his arms crossed over his chest, his face dark.
It didn’t look promising.
“... That’s why I didn’t tell you,” Bethany finished. “I’m sorry I didn’t, but I didn’t think you’d understand.” She glanced at Devon where he sat beside her. “But we care about each other. And I don’t want to stop seeing Devon just because... just because he’s human.”
Devon swallowed, licking his lips. “It’s true, Mr. and Mrs. Fullbright. I really do care about Bethany. And I probably would have been lost forever if she hadn’t helped me out that time. She’s really cool.”
The boy might not have been a poet, but Roman could see how sincere he was. And he and Bethany might not have been mates – or even old enough to know if they were – but that didn’t mean they couldn’t have a happy, fun relationship, the way everyone else could when they were young and relatively carefree.
“Bethany, I understand, but...” Kara trailed off. “I do still wish you’d told us. We could at least have talked about it, or explained why we’d be worried about something like this.”
“I know that Devon understands what we are,” Jason added, “but that doesn’t mean everyone will. We need to be careful for a very good reason, Bethany. We don’t just have these rules to spoil all your fun.”
“I know,” Bethany said. “But... it can’t be like that all the time. What if I want to leave when I get older? Will you say I can’t, just because it might be dangerous?”
Jason and Kara exchanged a glance.
“We’d have to talk about it when the time came,” Kara said carefully. She didn’t look at either Roman or Horace. “You’re too young right now, either way.”
“I know I am now,” Bethany said. “But what about when I’m older?”
There was an uncomfortable silence. Roman felt strangely like every eye was on him, despite the fact that everyone seemed to be looking everywhere but at each other.
“The world outside Skyhaven is an amazing place, Bethany,” he said, not sure what compelled him to speak, but feeling like he should. “I’ve loved living out amongst humans, finding my place in the world. I love my work – and most of the humans I’ve met have been nothing but kind. It’s true, they don’t know what I am, and maybe some of them would be shocked and frightened if I told them. But I’m sure others wouldn’t be.” He turned to Mia where she sat beside him. “Mia wasn’t. She didn’t hesitate for a moment when I told her about us – about what we are.”
He looked up to find his uncle’s eyes trained on his face, piercing and blue. Roman realized that it’d been a long time since he’d been in this position: standing in front of the man who’d raised him – and, even more than that, the elected leader of his clan. It didn’t matter how many years he’d been away, his griffin remembered that this was a man to whom he owed respect.
But at the same time, he owed his mate his loyalty. And his mate took precedence over everything else.
When he spoke, Horace’s voice was low and gruff. “I’m glad you had that experience, Roman – and Bethany, too,” he said, shaking his head. “But things aren’t always like that. Do you think I liked doing the things I did? That I wanted Roman to leave for all those years? Do you think I didn’t have a reason for it?”
Roman opened his mouth to say that no one had forced Horace to do any of those things, but he closed it again as he saw the look in his uncle’s eyes. He had seen the same look earlier that day, as they had argued in the kitchen.
It was a look not of anger, but one of sadness and pain.
His griffin suddenly raised its head in his chest, as if sensing that something was wrong, and Roman frowned.
Did his uncle have a solid reason for thinking he’d be hurt if he went out into the world of humans after all? He glanced at Mia and saw that she had had the same thought. She nodded to him slightly, giving him the encouragement he needed to ask:
“Uncle, what happened?”
There was an awkward silence in the room, until Kara abruptly stood up. “This sounds like a family conversation,” she said. “C’mon, Bethany, Devon – let’s go back to our place. We have a lot more talking to do yet.”
“That’s right,” Jason agreed with her. “For starters, I have to decide if this young man is good enough for my little girl.”
“Daaaaaad,” Bethany groaned, but she stood up nonetheless and followed them to the door. Roman thought that Devon looked decidedly queasy – but, he decided, that was something he’d have to get through on his own. If he could withstand some intense questioning from a pair of over-protective griffin parents, then he’d definitely have proven his worth!
Before she left, Kara turned once more to Roman and Mia. “Again, I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for us,” she said. “That’s twice now you’ve helped my family, in a way that I don’t think I can ever repay. And if it had been anyone but you out looking for Bethany...”
She left the sentence unfinished, but Roman understood. Maybe they wouldn’t have been able to show her they understood her situation, and to convince her to come home.
Roman found that he could only nod. He couldn’t take his eyes off his uncle’s painfully sad expression.
What on earth had happened?
He barely heard the front door shut as Kara, Jason, Bethany and Devon closed it behind them.
It was Lavinia who spoke up next. “Father, I –”
But Horace shook his head. “No. No, perhaps you deserve to know this too, Lavinia.” He sighed. “You always knew your mother wasn’t my mate, after all, but I don’t want you thinking I didn’t love her, even so.”
Lavinia shook her head. “No, I understand. I mean... aren’t mates pretty rare, anyway? And you know Brett isn’t my mate, but that doesn’t stop me from loving the guy stupid,” she said, speaking of her own husband.
“They are rare,” Horace agreed. “I even doubted they were real. Especially after...” He trailed off, swallowing.
Roman frowned. “But... all the stories. Mated bonds might be rare, but they do happen.”
“Between griffins, yes,” Horace said, eyes narrowing.
Roman shook his head. “I don’t think that’s true. Mia is my mate. I know it. There’s no way it could be anything else.”
Beside him, Mia nodded, leaning forward. “Please believe me when I say this, Horace – Roman really is my mate. I don’t think there could be any other explanation for the connection between us.”
Horace looked between them, his eyes still narrowed skeptically. He opened his mouth and then paused, looking away. For a long moment, he stared out the window at the snowflakes that had begun to gently fall outside, illuminated in the Christmas lights that covered the house.
Roman blinked, surprised. He had never seen his uncle lost for words before. He wanted to ask what was wrong, but his intuition told him to be silent, and wait for Horace to speak in his own time.
Finally, he sighed.
“I thought I met my mate once,” Horace said, still looking out the window. “Her name was Judith. I met her when I was traveling to meet with another griffin clan. I was young, but it had already been decided I’d be the next leader of our clan – that I would run in the election unopposed. I’d been preparing for the role for years. It was what I wanted – your Great Uncle Aulus had been leader before me, and I knew it was a great honor. I thought I knew exactly how the rest of my life was going to go.”
A thousand questions buzzed in Roman’s head, but he forced himself to stay silent. He could barely bring himself to breathe.
“I didn’t know her long,” Horace continued after a moment. “But for a moment, I really did think she was my mate. I’d never seen anyone so beautiful.”
Roman swallowed heavily. Of course, he had guessed that this was where his uncle’s story was headed. But to hear his uncle say it out loud and confirm his suspicions still sent a sharp spike of pain through his chest.
Perhaps he wouldn’t have reacted so strongly if he hadn’t only just found his own mate. The thought of being parted from Mia...
He could barely even think about it. His griffin reared up in distress before he could consider the idea too closely. But then, he realized what his uncle had said. “You only thought she was your mate?”
Horace nodded. “We were together only a short time. But it quickly became clear she didn’t feel the same way I did. She could accept what I was – she was open-minded, as far as that went. But it was clear that she began to have doubts when I explained that I would soon become the leader of my clan, and all the responsibilities that came with it.” Horace grimaced. “And she was right. Moreover, I realized that I’d been wrong. She wasn’t my mate – I’d made a mistake. I’d let my emotions cloud my head, and almost made a serious misjudgment. One that could have had terrible consequences.”
“Uncle –” Roman started to say, but Horace continued on, eyes hard.
“What’s to say you’re not doing the same thing I did? Humans and griffins... we’re not the same. Mated bonds are rare enough, but a mated bond with a human?” He looked up, staring directly at Mia. “What’s to stop you from doing the same, and causing Roman the same kind of pain that Judith caused me?”
Instinctively, Roman felt his griffin rising to Mia’s defense. That would never happen! he wanted to tell his uncle. Mia is my mate – my mate! We’re connected. And we’ll never be apart again.
But before he could open his mouth to voice his thoughts, Mia had begun speaking.
“I’m truly sorry for what happened to you, Horace,” she said softly. “It sounds like you had a terrible experience. But... I don’t think you can judge all humans just by that.” She took Roman’s hand as she looked at Horace, her eyes steady and determined. “You’re right, there’s a lot of humans who might be scared off by the idea of griffins, and what that might mean for their relationship. Maybe the world isn’t ready to know about shifters.”
She paused, as if collecting her thoughts.
“But I know about them now, just like I know about mates. Maybe I don’t know much about what that means yet, but I want to learn. I want to be a part of Skyhaven – a part of the clan. I don’t think I’d want to leave human society behind, but I’m not frightened by the thought of living with griffins either. And most important of all –” Mia turned, smiling at Roman, and squeezing his hand where she held it with hers “– I love Roman. No – more than that. He’s my mate. It must be hard for you to believe, I know. But please do know I’m telling the truth. The connection between us... I’ve never felt anything like it before, and I know Roman feels the same way. We’re bonded to each other. I can feel it in my soul, in a way I never thought was possible until I met him.”
She paused, taking a deep breath. Roman swallowed, feeling his heart swelling in his chest. In this moment, he couldn’t have been more proud of her: she was speaking with such grace, such conviction that he couldn’t bring himself to believe that even Horace could remain unmoved by her words.
“And more than that, I’m willing to deal with everything that comes with being a griffin’s mate. The ups and the downs. No matter what. I know that together, we can face them all.”
Mia stopped, licking her lips and looking into Horace’s eyes.
“I can’t say that this will be the same for every griffin who meets and falls in love with a human. But I can say that trying to stop them won’t work. Bethany only snuck out to see Devon because she thought she’d be prevented from seeing him if she told anyone he was human. And believe me when I say that humans and griffins can share a mated bond. Roman and I are proof of that. And I’m sure there must be others, too. Don’t you think they deserve to find each other?”
For a long moment, there was silence in the room. Roman looked at Mia, feeling love and pride swell in his heart. He wished he could sweep her up into his arms and kiss her, right now – she was amazing.
And she’s ours, his griffin purred in his chest. And we’re hers. Forever.
“She’s right, Uncle,” he said, when Horace didn’t speak. “Being back here has reminded me of just how much of a griffin I still am. I don’t want to have to put that part of me aside any more. I want to be a part of the clan again. But you can’t ask me to give up the life I’ve built for myself in the world outside. And you can’t stop other members of the clan from wanting to see what’s out there, either.”
The silence in the room was thick. Roman almost didn’t dare to look at his uncle when he finally raised his head, for fear of what he might see in his eyes.
“Roman,” Horace said, his voice hoarse. “I’ve been a fool.”
Roman swallowed, shaking his head. “No. We both have been. I was stubborn too. I didn’t even stop to think you might have a reason for wanting me to be careful. I just wanted to charge out into the world.”
“Well, I’ll second that,” Lavinia said. “Roman, you haven’t been here to see just how much Dad has missed you over these past few years. You’ve both been too stubborn and proud to just reach out to each other. And now that you are reaching out, I’m not going to let this moment pass. Not today. Not during Christmas.”
Almost despite himself, Roman felt a laugh bubbling up in his chest.
It was true – he had been stubborn and proud. He could have reached Horace at any time over the past twelve years, but he’d pig-headedly refused to do it.
And Horace could have just explained to him about his fears. Going so far as to forbid the clan from having contact with humans had done nothing but drive him away. And now, it had caused needless trouble with Bethany, too. He needed to understand that members of the clan needed to be free to make their own mistakes – even painful ones.
“I’m sorry, Roman,” Horace said, his voice cracking a little. “I’m sorry I drove you away. And I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you.”
Taking a deep breath, he turned to Mia.
“And I’m sorry I judged all humans by my own bad experience. It was wrong. You’re clearly made of strong stuff. And... and I don’t doubt you’ll be a wonderful mate for Roman.”
Mia’s radiant smile warmed Roman down to his bones.
“Thank you, Horace,” she said. “I promise you I’ll do my very best.”
Lavinia’s burst of warm laughter was just as he remembered it from when he was a child: loud, and utterly infectious.
“Well, now that that’s sorted out, can we return to the most important thing: namely, what’s for lunch? Because I’m completely starving.”
Roman couldn’t stop his own burst of laughter at that. It wasn’t long before Mia and Horace had joined in too.
As he looked around him, Roman felt a flood of gratefulness sweep through his chest. For the first time in twelve years, he was home.